The Pacific Conspiracy
by Xeno-024
Summary: An offer to join the ranks of Project Freelancer sends Sgt. Angeles on a new front of interstellar counterterrorism. After her time in the field though, she's learned that not everyone is who they seem. Rated M for RvB language, blood, terrorism, and torture. I still suck at summaries.
1. Practical Resume

**Practical Resume**

Sgt. Savannah Angeles, URNA Federal Response Team

California, URNA

February 2553

It was downtown LA. Someone had reported some suspicious figures walking into the Los Angeles Space Elevator with some large bags. Three minutes later, shots were fired in the terminal and the building is sealed from the outside. Local law enforcement and SWAT teams were mobilized before several IEDs detonated across the suburbs. Those explosions coincide with a riot that forced those officers away from the space elevator.

Then we were called in.

"Athena, Patriot 1 reporting. Looks like OPFOR got some buddies."

"Confirm that the suspects are still inside the elevator base."

"Confirmed."

"Has your negotiator returned?"

"Negative Athena."

"Patriot team, you are free to enter. UAV support may be scuttled if any rocket launchers are found."

Patriot 1 hangs up his call and draws his M385 DMR.

"Go ahead on the breach, Patriot 4 and I will cover."

I ready my M7S SMG, two of my squadmates ready MA5C Assault Rifles, Patriot 4 setting up her SRS99C-S2 Sniper Rifle. The three of us with ARs and BRs weapons rappel down off our vantage point down to the street.

"So what do you think this is about?" says Patriot 2, taking a thermal breaching charge and planting it on a garage door. "Probably anti-sangheili radicals. Doesn't help that we haven't been able to get any combat engineers down here yet." I respond as the device starts burning through the door, Patriot 5 putting a face shield on his AR.

"Charge burned through." I comment before kicking the oval shaped plate inwards, it clanging and skidding into the deliveries drop-off.

"3, shield in."

I take a extending ballistic shield off my back and go through the still glowing hole. Patriots 2 and 5 following suite as I move up to the exit. "5, get the door."

5 goes up, opens the door a bit, and tosses a 9-Bang in, the signature nine bangs go off as I bash the door open, catching a hostile off guard that 2 shoots.

"One down, he's got a M6G on him and a canister like object, over." He comments, 5 moving to the atrium. "We got dead civilians here, over." I move up, 2 behind me as we move to 5.

The sight was horrid, at least 30 dead from gunfire, a thick yellow gas hanging over the ground floor. Patriot 2 stifles a gag as I report the find.

"Patriot 1, this is Patriot 3. We have dead civilians and a yellow gas in the atrium, requesting DECON and SR teams to be on standby, over."

"Copy Patriot 3, Athena has been informed, over."

I extend my shield out to full length, the sound of glass shattering above us gets 5 spooked. "5th floor, chill out man." 2 says to try and calm him. 5 nods, signaling to move up. We get to the 4th floor before a low rumble forces us to stop.

"The building's supports may be unstable from the bombings earlier. We should be fine."

The three of us reach a damaged door, the lock having been blown off of it. I go to push it open before spotting another canister. 2 looks it over and scans it with a defusal kit, finding no explosive devices or triggers. "These things… the fuck are they?" mutters 2, I shrug before pushing the door open and stumbling upon a hostile in a hazmat suit, several pounds of explosives strapped to him.

"Bomber!" I shout as 5 opens up with his AR, the hazmat suit taking his rounds as the suicidal hostile comes closer.

"Brace!"

The bomber runs straight towards me and activates his detonator, killing him, forcing my shield from me and into 5, which smashes him into a glass railing overlooking the atrium.

"Shit." 2 runs over to 5 and starts trying to pull him up, I grab his AR from him, then try to help but the guy loses his grip, falling into the gas.

"Patriot, 5 is down and so is our riot shield, over."

Several sniper shots go off as Patriot 5's vitals flatline. "Sniper!" shouts 2, shoving me to the ground as a light purple and green figure starts shooting at us from the 12th floor balcony, before AR fire from above him forces him off us.

"Move into cover, see if we can get to a window cleaning unit or something."

2 and I go into the room the bomber came from, activating flashlights on our rifles and sweeping through the office room "You're good. Nobody pursuing you two." reports 4 as I remove a few hastily placed boards from a window, revealing some scaffolding. "That can get you to the same floor as the sniper. Take it." says 4, 2 starting his ascension up, me following suite.

No part of the scaffold was really stable, so around 5 minutes later, we got up to the 12th floor.

"EOD found some bombs down in the subway nearby, they want all forces to pull out." Athena reports, with 1 responding with "Negative, we are so close to getting this son of a bitch." 2 kicks in a window to get into the building, our purple and green friend across the building.

"Turn around and put your hands on your head." I yell, the sniper ignores me and jumps out a nearby window and lands on a nearby rooftop, 2 shaking his head.

"We'll search for 'em later."

The two of us find the elevator's administration wing, kick in the door to it, and start hearing bombs going off.

"No ones here…"

2 kicks a pile of papers in rage before we notice the tremor.

"Window, now!" shouts 2 as he shoots out a nearby window while the building starts falling. I jump out the building and start sliding down the side, 2 following.

"Patriot 1, building has collapsed, get out of the debris field, over!"

I simply hear static before glass behind me starts breaking, then I stop hearing someone sliding behind me.

"Patriot 2, respond!"

More static.

"Damnit."

I finish my slide down Splash Mountain without the water and land down in the subway, several OPFOR noticing me and begin to turn to engage before more sniper shots go off.

"Well, I guess we all die."

The last thing I hear is a pair of armored figures land behind me before I take a rifle to the back of my head, knocking me out.

 **A/N: Well… I'm back, don't expect any more Fireteam Phoenix for a while. My friend that helped me write everything after Chapter 11 is going into surgery, and because he wrote that whole Shade concept, I can't do any work without him bitching. I would be willing to do a World of Remnant styled side story for that story though, I know I'd be able to explain somethings way better through that. (*cough* How Remnant got modern firearms, and why they use those over dust weaponry *cough*).**

 **No matter what, The Pacific Conspiracy is a go boi. Expect more soon.**


	2. New Chapter

**New Chapter**

Sgt. Savannah Angeles, URNA Federal Response Team

February 2553

"Ow…"

I start coming out of unconsciousness, looking straight into a bronze faceplate of a Spartan.

"Hey, the kid's awake."

I try to force the Spartan away, it overpowers and restrains me to my flight seat.

"Look, we're UNSC. We won't hurt you unless we need to."

A quick pain in my neck goes through before my body goes numb.

"Alaska, no need for drugging recruits."

"Job security Dakota, and she's not a recruit."

An American and a Brit, NATO?

"Why do you think we were there then, terrorists aren't our specialty."

"The Innies aren't terrorists?"

"They… point made."

"Better than the company you keep."

"Hey, the new Oregon's fine. I know he was a Red, but this is part of the accords."

A third voice, probably the pilot, chimes in.

"We're inbound, please return to your seats and wait until the vehicle has come to a full stop."

I start fading in and out of consciousness as I get dragged off the shuttle, passing out as we enter an elevator.

"Director, the survivor from LA."

I get shaken awake by two soldiers in white, an older texan and a brit behind them.

"Ms. Angeles, born 7/19/29, graduated from the Federal Bureau of Intelligence's academy in Virginia at 22, attempted to join the Marines, but because of a recommendation by the Director of the UN's Rainbow Unit, got to serve with URNA Federal Response. Recently listed as KIA after a terror attack on Los Angeles' Space Elevator."

"My question is sir, why did we get her out? It was a simple grab and smear."

The two guards leave as the texan brings out a datapad, shows it to the brit, then stows it away again.

"If Director Marne wanted her with Freelancer, why not just reassign her?"

"Marne has always thought of us as a double sided unit Alaska. We answer to ONI as a science project, not the UN."

"Point made sir."

"Do you mind handling her?"

"Yes sir."

This 'Alaska' snaps to salute as his superior leaves, once the door closes, he grabs a nearby folding chair and sets it across from me.

"So then…"

I clap my hands together to break the looming silence.

"How are you?"

"Decent. You?"

"Besides falling from a space elevator, getting hit in the head with a SRS-99, then drugged, never better."

"Hmm…"

Alaska takes out a pad and a pen, slides it over to me, and motions to it.

"Standard UN medical record, we need a current one before we can take you in."

I look it over, the paper already adorned with the illuminati of ONI.

"This isn't UN."

"Oh, I know."

I look back at Alaska, the soldier lazily drawing circles with a trench knife.

"So what about you? You seem-"

"Not important."

Alaska sheaths the knife and unslings a MP5SD4 from his side.

"Bit old, isn't it?"

Alaska mutters something about the classics as he removes a cleaning kit from the stock and starts looking it over. I get back to my paperwork until I hear the almost 600 year old SMG clack, jumping at the noise.

"Jesus, you use a full power automatic and you get jumpy at the clack of what you Americans would call an antique?"

I shrug off the comment, prepping for anymore noises as he reloads the SMG and slings it again.

"You say Americans as if you have history with us."

"I do."

"Care to divulge?"

Alaska takes a patch off his shoulder pad, sliding it across the table.

"1941 to whenever Queen and Country won't need us lass."

I flip it over, the winged dagger of the SAS emblazoned in grays and whites.

"Your FBI has gotten sloppy. You don't seem that way though."

Alaska take my finished paperwork and trades it for a keycard, walking to the door.

"This will be interesting California. Welcome to Freelancer."

As soon as Alaska leaves, I reach for my lock spike and feel a looseness to my restraints. After a bit more budging, my left arm comes free and goes to work on the right. The leg restraints don't even feel tightened as I simply slide them off.

"Now, to get some answers."

I quickly grab 5's MA5, wondering why they left it here before shrugging it off.

"Their mistake."

I take a few mags for the weapon, slide one in, then open up the door, blinded by a spotlight.

"Good, all the new kids are here."

I cover my eyes and look around, 39 men and women of all nationalities standing by as the texan from earlier paces by their line. I move into the nearer end right as he passes by.

"You were all selected to participate in series of basic training exercises and combat simulations to see if you are worth the effort to bring into our project."

The spotlight starts moving around the room, showing off several areas from rappelling to the classic Log Haul to a full building to clear.

"Only 6 of you will go on from here, good luck."

 **A/N: Sorry about the massive delay. Between classes and some personal issues, there was no way to get this out.** **In some good news, my co-writer for Phoenix is out of hospital, he's spent some time recollecting his ideas and was willing to help explain the concept of the Shades. Expect the next Fireteam Phoenix story, right now going under the name Phoenix II, soon.**


	3. Fucking New Gal

FNG

Sgt. Savannah Angeles

UNSC Mother of Invention

February 2553

"Well then? Get moving!"

I shake myself out of my sleeplessness, moving quickly to a nearby rappelling course tossing a grappling line up, the other recruits joining soon after. I'm about halfway up before i hear the chambering of a belt fed machine gun and start strafing.

"What the hell are you-" yells one of the recruits before taking a stun round in the back and dropping back to the bottom of the course. Every other recruit looks down to the fallen recruit, assessing his condition, before strafing themselves as the MG continues its barrage, taking a couple more recruits down before stopping. Alaska coming over the intercom as the final recruit gets over the wall.

"That's not the only trick for today. Now you gotta get that log a mere 50 meters to progress."

The mentioned log gets spotted by a German, who moves to it before a bouncing betty pops up.

"Get down!"

We all hit the deck, the bouncing betty exploding into confetti.

"Marius, hold on."

Another recruit, probably the german guy's sister, takes out her phone and starts scanning the floor, she stops at one point, says something to her brother, who shoots the spot, sparks emitting from the point of impact.

"Sweeping for mines, clever girl."

A Russian comes over to the log, nods to the German siblings, then to a fellow Russian, me and another American.

"Time to move."

"Jah, come along Monica."

I take up the rear most part of the log before we all lift it up, the log feeling lighter than expected.

"Move, the end isn't coming to ya!"

It takes us about an hour to get down to the finish, several betties needing to be cleared, a ruptured tank of tear gas conveniently in the way, and a couple of the white soldiers decided to set up a bear trap or six in our way.

"Mother-"

I drop down to pry the seventh trap from my leg, the teeth having caught in my shin plate.

"Hold on."

The other american gets the others to drop the log, the germans agreeing, probably because of the mines. He rushes back with one of the russians, who gets the trap fully off.

"Objective is right ahead. Come on now."

The germans come back with HK416 rifles, passing them out to us.

"We're good to move up without the log, we're up for the clearing segment." says Marius, his sister clipping her phone into an arm mount.

"Got it. Take the door."

I equip a rifle shield on my MA5, Marius taking a shot in the door's lock and opening it slightly.

"Hall clear."

We go in double file, rifles sweeping doors quickly and windows quicker before a crude canister rolls down a flight of stairs.

"RED active, not liking the canister."

"It'll be fine Monica. Americans, suggest you see what that is."

I draw my rifle on it, the container starting to give off a yellow tinted gas, the other american takes the canister and tosses it down the hall, a plume of gas hitting the air and igniting.

"Incendiary explosive."

Hearing a scraping, I turn and see a grey and red colored Spartan running at us with an odachi, one of the russians starts shooting his PMM at him, the other american taking a grenade and putting it down range. The Spartan shrugs off the PMM and shoves the russian aside, rolls under the grenade, and shoulder bashes Marius and I downstairs, Monica getting a shot into the Spartan's shoulder being the last thing I see of them before rolling down to the floor below.

"You ok?"

I give a thumbs up to Marius and get up, he gives me my rifle back, then motions to the shattered glass on the floor.

"No more faceshield then."

A loud clang is heard as a spotlight gets pointed at us.

"Move."

We roll into different rooms as a mounted MG starts rattling away at our last position, I stand up and spot a new figure, grey BDU with a black flak jacket with an older ballistic helmet, pointing a M1014 at me.

"Amateur."

I roll over as the first shell fires, draw his boot knife as he turns, stab the knife in his leg as he fire another shot, the pellets going wild as I take a zip tie off his flak jacket, disarm him, and restrain him with the tie.

"Say again?"

I take his M1014 and almost move back out before a spray of MG rounds goes down range again.

"Damn."

A pulsating blue ball goes down range, hits the turret, and detonates. I turn to the thrower.

"You owe me."

Alaska draws a P226 on Marius, who puts his hands up.

"He's good, he's good."

Alaska holsters the pistol and kicks a BR to him.

"Simulation clear!"

The lights turn on downstairs as the grey and red Spartan from before comes downstairs with the others, they being followed by four more Spartans and the texan from before.

"At attention."

Marius and I stand stock still as Monica and the others come down, joining us.

"You six have a lot of work to go, the Director has decided to approve your applications with two supervisors."

Alaska nods to the grey and red Spartan.

"May I introduce Agent Oregon and myself as those supervisors."

The Director taps Alaska on the shoulder, who passes the stage to him.

"You will be assigned codenames and rooms later tonight. Dismissed."

 **A/N: I'm starting to juggle both this and Unjust Phoenix, with this being the main focus right now. I need to finish the Absolute Justice ending for IJ2 before anything else though.**


	4. Red Bear, Blue Bulldog

Red Bear, Blue Bulldog

Agent Alaska, Project Freelancer

UNSC Mother of Invention

March 2553

"Director, the new group's all passed out. You needed me?"

"I would prefer both you and Takaeda, but knowing him and York…"

"Both out drinking, yeah."

I take a seat in a chair near a holotable, the Director sliding a case across the table.

"The UN wants us to head to Nevada Kilo, I know your history. Any insight on-"

"You want me to talk about the Reds again, don't ya?"

"That, and the Whites."

I take a canteen off my armor, take a sip, and shudder.

"The Whites, also known as the Federal New Kiev. One-party regime lead by Khursnikov, hell of a egomaniac. Good drinking buddy, if you get past the ego."

As I talk, the wolf laden banner of the Whites appears on the holotable.

"Then we have the Reds."

I take the case from the table before continuing.

"The Reds, or the Worker's Union. Bunch of radical communists. Not saying they don't have some justification though."

The old Soviet banner appears on the table as well.

"Back while I was serving for the Queen, we supported the Reds on a few land grabbing operations, see mynotes on the Putin Protocol."

I take another sip and continue.

"Civil war and distance from Earth kept the Covenant from attempting an invasion, so the economy still is in decent shape. That economy, however, is based on a very bloody civil war. Neither side wants to stop till the other completely surrenders. That's why I brought on the ruskies."

The Director taps the table, the writing dispersing.

"So you do want to use your team."

"At least the Spetz, still don't like the idea of jerries or americans there. Historical conflicts might cause some tension."

"I believe that Takaeda's decision was still in the right. Bringing on new blood from the Bundeswehr, one of the most rigorous armies on Earth, was worth the time."

"The Weiss twins I agree on, but americans, especially FBI? Only the lass has military history. Even then, it was Navy."

The Director stands up from his seat and motions for the case.

"Both Ms. Angeles and Mr. Trace were selected for undisclosed reasons. I will trust Oregon's decision until it turns into a liability."

"Understood."

The Director hands back the case.

"First assignment for Pacific Unit, intelligence on target, surrounding area, and gear recommendations. Do not let me down."

"Good way to break them in, hope to god Taki isn't completely wasted."

The Director leaves the room, I take one more sip before reattaching the canteen, grabbing the intel case, and leaving myself.

\-- Agent California, 0430 Hours --

'Come 'ere.'

One man in a black suit grabs a child from their bed, causing a bit of a commotion, one of his comrades comes in with a syringe.

'Sedate her,'

Looking over to another comrade as the first sedates the child, he motions to the next room.

'Make sure the parents didn't wake up.'

The second man slowly goes off to check.

"Hey kid, wake up."

The man with the sedatives and the room get all distorted.

"Savs, can't let you sleep in."

The second man comes back, looking even more distorted.

"Hold on Marius."

A loud clack goes off and I wake up drenched in sweat, the two germans from yesterday hovering over me.

"You ok? You kept shaking and muttering the entire night."

"Yeah."

I look around, noticing Monica in full uniform holding a G3 and Marius in a BDU.

"Don't tell me that this is when they're waking us up."

"Nein, a half hour later. The British one came back an hour ago with the Japanese one, Marius got woken up by the commotion and got me up."

"And that's why you both are up, fully awake, at four-thirty?"

"Early for you, this is one in the afternoon for us."

"She's thinking UN Standard time Idaho."

The three of us look over to the speaker, Alaska nodding.

"He's a bit less drunk, but still tipsy. Swear to god we had a no alcohol rule onboard this ship."

"It's a good time to be in spirits, James."

"Yeah, yeah, ohaya to you too."

Alaska gets up from Oregon's bunk and grabs his MP5.

"And for when you don't want to wake up the rest of the ship."

Alaska takes the bolt of his MP5, locks it, and walks over to the russian bunk.

"Wakey wakey lads."

Alaska slaps the bolt of the weapon forward, creating a loud clack, both of the russians stirring awake.

"Get up, get in gear. Idaho or Michigan, mind getting Utah up?"

I hit the side of my bunk, the other american wakes up.

"I'm up."

"Good, get in gear. Meeting in ten. Anyone late does not get biscuits."

I stop being groggy at the mention of biscuits, almost hitting my head against the bunk I get out of bed, slip into some grey sweats and a black tee, throw on my old range hat, and head down, beating even Alaska to the meeting room.

"Ok then lass, the biscuits won't even be here for a bit."

Oregon and the russians come in after.

"Mikhail, Nikita, good."

Alaska and the Russians get into a conversation, Oregon taking a seat next to me.

"And to let you know lass, Taki's not as bad as earlier, you can thank Monica for that."

"What'd she do?"

Alaska chuckles.

"To quote Montana, she gave the Jap a third bomb."

I almost choke on a bite of biscuit.

"Well tell him that I'd be the one giving him a third bomb."

Alaska gives me a thumbs up before turning his attention back to the russians.

"And no, it wasn't an actual bomb."

Idaho and Montana come up behind me.

"World's best shoes turn out to be more embarrassing than a drinking game against a Scot."

Oregon tosses a biscuit to Alaska.

"So then, you want to start this?"

Alaska nods, motions the russians to the table, and takes a seat himself.

"Today's evaluation day. We want to see your strengths and weaknesses. Other freelancers and techs will be there, try not to impede them."

Utah comes into the room as Oregon and Alaska get up to lead.

"You should've been here a while ago kid."

Utah starts to look for an excuse before Oregon takes Alaska's biscuit and tosses it to Utah.

"Eat quick."

Oregon leaves, Alaska looking back at us.

"Training floor in 5."

Alaska leaves, Utah taking a bite of the biscuit before following us.


	5. Training Day

**Training Day**

Agent California

Mother of Invention, Equipment Testing Ground

I walk into the room, a massive complex of firing ranges, arenas, gearing stations, and classrooms all spread around a central hub. Impressive definitely, but not as impressive as those in the rooms.

Soldiers, all in wildly different armors and color schemes, going at each other with punji sticks or shooting at targets with pinpoint accuracy. Definitely would make the old squad speechless.

"Impressive eh?"

Oregon walks up behind me and pats my shoulder.

"Come on, Laska's bit pissed about me already, let's not throw you under that bus."

Oregon half leads, half drags me over to the rest of the group.

"...running Montana, Nevada, and Arizona through rifle drills first."

Alaska looks over us and waves a couple of soldiers over.

"North! South! Need you two for a second."

A pair of purple and green soldiers come over to us.

"You two mind doing two on twos with a few recruits?"

The lavender soldier responds first.

"Free practice against the fresh batch? That's a bit cruel, even for Ivan."

Both of the russians tense up.

"Let me rephrase. You'll be running some recruits through two on twos with punji sticks, hand to hand, and melee weapons."

The deeper purple one nods, the lavender soldier sighing.

"Fine, let's go North."

"Oregon, take California, Idaho, Utah. Dakota twins'll help. Won't you South?"

Alaska gets a middle finger from South, chuckling it off.

"I could go get Maine and have him take you on."

South and North head into an arena, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, and myself following.

We came into a spotless arena, stark white walls around a circular floor, an elevated platform in the middle. Oregon ran through a brief summary of the kind of fighting we'd be doing, practicality of it and what not. All the while, the one lavender soldier, South, kept pestering North about something.

"Now, onto the fun part."

Oregon motions over to a hallway.

Go through, enter the door with your last name on it. Group of techs inside will get you suited.

The three of us followed through, Monica giving me a look of intrigue as we went in.

"Ms. Angeles, correct?"

I look around, trying to find the speaker.

"Yes? Who is this?"

"My name is FILISS, I will be running you through the Mjolnir calibration test. Please strip down so we can continue."

Tentatively, I give the room another scan, nobody present.

"Do not worry, nobody is in the room."

I finish up, getting a feel for how cold the floor is before a podium rises in the center of the room, a black bodysuit on top.

"Please tell me there's more to this."

"Please don the bodysuit on the podium in the center."

I walk over to the podium and quickly don the bodysuit, getting a feel for mobility as the podium lowers down.

"Now, please lie down on the platform in front of you."

I slide onto the platform, a quick sting going into my neck.

"Strange, you seem to have an unknown agent in your bloodstream. Wait patiently please."

I take a few breaths, just now realizing I was holding them in.

"Override accepted, skipping over augmentations and proceeding to stage three."

I feel clamps go around my legs, arms, and stomach as the platform stands up, several segments of armor rising out of floor and assembling.

"Armor assembled, releasing agent."

The clamps come off, I fall to the floor and get up, looking over the armor.

"So how do I-"

"Voice authentication complete. Good morning Savannah."

The suit separates into two, the helmet lifting off via a claw from the ceiling, I step into the armor, and a ding goes off.

"Do not move."

I get to process the command for a second before the suit comes back together, sealing my body and immobilizing it.

"The suit will now adjust to body temperature and unexpected variables."

The undersuit rapidly heats up, then cools down.

"You are now free to move."

The helmet gets set in my hands, I give it a look over and find an earpiece inside. Pocketing it, I put the helmet on and let the heads up display load in.

"Please proceed outside."

I take a step forward, the suit didn't feel much heavier than a normal BDU. I continue walking, getting a feeling for the maneuverability of the suit's joints.

Really felt like some sorta wonder armor.

I finish admiring the suit's abilities and head out, Idaho getting a feel for the suit.

"Not bad, not bad in the slightest."

"You two done inspecting your nails yet?"

Idaho's reaction was the same as mine.

"What a bitch."

After Oregon came back with a assorted group of melee weapons, Idaho challenged South, North choosing Utah.

"Begin."

Both Utah and Idaho went down in seconds, North landing a lucky drop kick and South putting Idaho into a chokehold.

"Alright Taki, you're up."

"I'm here to evaluate them. It's not easy to try and catalogue their performance when that performance is directed at you."

"Look, Taki, I know you're still tipsy. At least go against the other kid with punjis."

I shrug at the idea, Oregon sighing.

"Why do I even go along with this at times."

I get a hand into the ring from North, who also passes me a metal baton.

"Not much different from a riot baton."

"That's it's main purpose, but we learn to improvise. Have fun."

Oregon just rolls his shoulders and charges in, I land a decent blow to the pit of his left elbow and another to his thigh. He elbows me in the back and moves off.

"Good moves."

I take a chance and charge him, sliding by his right leg, jabbing him behind the knee. He drops down on that knee, swings behind him, and gets me in the side.

I push again, hit his baton arm and take his baton, then roll over him, whack him upside the head, and slam him down to his back.

"Now with you two done flirt fighting, can we continue?"

I look over and see that the group from before was joined by Alaska, Montana, Arizona, and Nevada.

"Sorry sir."

I get Oregon on his feet, drop off the ring and give both punji sticks to North, Alaska headed back to the firing range with Utah and Idaho.

And I thought the arena was impressive.

Ranges galore, from just straight up target shooting, to clay pigeons, extreme ranges for sniper rifles, buildings for room clearing. Even a tank room for RPGs and rocket launchers.

Weapon selection was even better. Ranging from more modern weapons, like the MA5 series Assault Rifles, M385 DMRs, and SPNKr Rocket Launchers, to 20th century Lee Enfield Mk. IIIs and M1 Garands. It would easily take a few hours to even look over the arsenal.

"Just gonna run you guys through some of the more common weapons you'll have to deal with. Get a BR55 from the table and a few mags."

We grab said rifles, a brief overview of the weapon's specifications coming up on my hud.

"Head over to Station One. Utah, you get on the line."

Utah stands up to the counter.

"Shoot from the hip. Get all the targets."

A little ballad of rifle discharges goes off, Utah reloads.

"See how he sprayed rounds down range just firing from the hip? I see you do that, everyone restarts their rifle drill."

Alaska gives Utah a spare mag before motioning to two more stations.

"Take one, check your weapon, then put three mags down range."

I get to station two and check the rifle over, switch the rifle off safety, then begin. The rifle's recoil feeling non-existent.

"Something up lass?"

"These are firing rifle caliber right?"

"Yeah, burst fires faster than kick can occur. Better shot grouping."

After BRs, Alaska had us run MA5s in both full auto and burst, then brought over AK-74s and M-16s.

"Take either or, put five mags down range, then head back over to Oregon."

I take an AK, more used to it from cartel busts back in the FBI. The rifle felt like a toy, too light."

"Hey, another issue."

Alaska looks up from a datapad and comes over.

"Something up?"

"This feels way too light."

Alaska takes the rifle from me and put a few shots down range.

"Feels fine. Might still be on an adrenaline high."

"Yeah."

Alaska sets the rifle down and heads back as I continue the drill.

\-- Agent Alaska --

"The trainees were competent from Oregon's view, I could agree with that about some of them."

I swipe through a few pages on our next assignment, coming to the situation.

"New Kiev's tsar coming to a party with several high class civs and politicians in Brazil. Formal dress. That's gonna mean dead drops for anything larger than a pistol."

I take a notepad and write that down.

"Security's expected to be tight, PMCs and Royal Guards. We're headed in to secure information on the situation on November Kilo."

Another note taken, swiping past some more predictions.

"Due to recent incidents in San Francisco, security will be looking for unmarked duffels."

One last note before I close the file, I also send my notes to Oregon. I then open up my file on the american recruits.

"Fuckin' blacked out. Why though?"

I shut off my datapad as one of the recruits walks up.

"All of us are through with our drills, sir."

"Got it. Head back over to the arena, I'll be over shortly."

The recruit nods and heads back, I switch on my datapad once the recruits leave.

"FILISS, run through all operational transcripts for the new recruits' armor augmentation. Send me any anomalies."

"Sorry, the file you are requesting does not exi-"

"Diagnostic mode, verification fifteen lima thirty niner, resend query."

"Two anomalies found, sending."

"Received, Icarus."

"-st. I will send a report to Engineering right away."

I shut off my datapad and remove it's storage drive, pocketing it, then heading over to the arena.

\-- Agent California --

I put a final drop kick into Utah, the freelancer landing off the ring.

"Win by ring-out."

"Good. Line up."

We all do, the Dakota twins leaving.

"As of now, Pacific Unit is getting cut back to a five man team. The following will leave the room: Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Nevada."

The four salute and leave.

"Idaho, Quartermaster wants to get you suited first, follow Oregon."

I notice Alaska trigger a remote.

"Quick little signal test. Suit isn't reading full green."

I start hearing a garbled voice inside my head.

"19, 20, 1, 14, 4, 2, 25, 3, 15, 4, 5, 14, 15, 4, 9, 18, 5-3, 20, 9, 22, 5, 18, 5, 3, 5, 9, 22, 5, 4 13, 5, 19, 19, 1, 7, 5, 23, 9, 12, 12, 18, 5, 16, 5, 1, 20."

"You good?"

"Yeah, just a bit of a static buildup was all. You're good. "

I head off to join Idaho.

\-- Agent Alaska --

"Director, plan has been sent to your terminal. I'd like operational command on this one."

"Noted, we'll be sending your team into Brazil a few days beforehand. Send a list of required items to the Quartermaster."

"Understood sir, my team will be ready."

"We will see."

 **i**


	6. Federation Day

**Federation Day**

Agent California, Project Freelancer

UEG Depot "De Leon", Brazil, Federation of South America

March 2553

We spent another week running drills with our armor, tweaking it to our liking. Alaska sent out a bunch of ordnance request forms for an "upcoming assignment" in his words.

Couple of days later, the ship's quartermaster brought us out one by one to get our armor customized. I'm now sitting here with a cerulean and gold Military Police helmet, inspecting my new MA5D, fitting on a new set of faceshield mounts.

"You think they had any choice? We needed a new testing sample."

I shake myself awake.

"Good, You're up."

I look around, a group of eight freelancers in tuxedos and dresses, Alaska and Oregon discussing the upcoming mission.

"As noted, the "partygoers" will be mingling in with the crowd, watching security, all that jazz. You should be able to sneak a Magnum in with you, but don't expect to use it."

"Partygoer couples are as follows: Carolina and York, Washington and Connecticut, Wyoming and South, Oregon and Idaho."

A ton of muttering follows, Alaska silencing it.

"North will be on overwatch, California and myself will be retrieval. You all have your passes and may head out now."

The dressed up freelancers and Oregon leave, leaving one of the twins from before and Alaska.

"I'd figure this'll be a grab and smear?"

"No smearing, just getting a few inventories of our Tsar's armed forces."

"Anything else?"

"We'll talk inflight."

"Then after you."

\-- Garnet Group Building, 2350 Hours --

"Looks like they're all partying, you two are good."

Alaska and I take a pair of rappelling crossbows and fire them at the rooftop across, the lines syncing in.

"Cut the line about two thirds in. Should get you within six floors of records."

Alaska hooks into the zipline and starts heading over, I follow shortly after.

"Security's mostly PMCs, but some of the Winter Guard merged in."

"You might know them by the term 'Zimniye Medvedi', or the Tsar's pet bears."

"Just think the Secret Service."

Alaska cuts his line and starts on his rappel, I give it a second and cut mine, landing a floor or two above a balcony.

"Entering in."

I hear a window shatter and some tumbling as a merc walks out onto the balcony.

"Get inside lass."

I cut my line and drop on the merc, breaking his back and crushing his lungs.

"Confirm it."

I take out a Colt M1911A1 and fire a suppressed shot into his head, then go into the skyscraper.

\-- Alaska --

"Clear. Move."

I sling a Mossberg over my shoulder and ready my Browning Hi Power and a boot knife.

"Approximate of the server location marked on your HUDs. I'll try to keep you updated with guard rotations."

I had entered through a floor full of cubicles, already hearing the steps of a PMC, I duck under one of the many desks.

"Fredric, you still good with heading out with the guys? Think Krakov and the Whites got this."

"We got paid for a job. Even if we weren't, you really wanna go through the favelas with all the riots lately?"

"True."

The guards pass out of sight as I slide out from under the desk. One of the guards stops and swings his flashlight around the room.

"Clear."

The guards continue their patrol, leaving the room shortly after.

\-- California --

I get over to a security gate as a trio of White Army soldiers pass.

"Confirming all guests have arrived."

"Dah, no security threats?"

"Nyet."

"Vtoraya razvertka. Ubedit'sya."

The group disperses.

"Security shutter around a server farm."

"North, confirm."

"Yep."

I take a lockpicking kit out and start going at it.

"North, shift to the party."

\-- Alaska --

"You catch that jerry? Officer's coat, talking with one of the Whites? See if you can get his face recog."

I keep watching the Tsar mingle with the crowd.

"Server's open, where should I start looking?"

"Fourth row."

I remove my comlink as the German officer approaches the Tsar. They have a conversation about something and move on.

"Right then."

I draw my Mossberg and start heading to the servers.

\-- California --

"Cali, start heading to extraction."

"But the mission?"

"I'll handle it. Go."

I grab my 1911 off the the ground and start moving to the rappel lines, hearing a Falcon take off.

"Cyka! Vrazhdebnoye obnaruzheniye, pozhar!"

I duck behind one of the many pillars in the room as suppressed gunshots start flying around the room.

"Damn!"

I hear a pop and the sound of shattering glass as the shooters stop.

"Go."

I start sprinting towards the fire escape, jamming the door shut with a fire axe.

"Data secured, headed up now."

I start heading to the roof.

\-- Alaska --

"Fuckin' garbage tech."

I point my Mossberg at the door and fire, a thud confirming a kill.

"North, tech's being a bit on the fritz, gonna have to overwatch the lass for a bit."

I fire the last shell from the Mossberg and scrounge up a AKS-74u, a beep sounding from the data extractor.

"Done, headed up."

\-- California --

"North, last mag!"

Two loud bangs go off as a couple of flanking PMCs drop. I put a gew bursts into another group as Alaska comes over.

"Data acquired, need a way out."

"Should be a Falcon or some transit on the roof."

I take a CZ-3A1 from a dead PMC and start spraying at the oncoming force, moving to the left.

"Spotlight."

A .338 shot goes off as a BOPE sniper starts firing on us, just skimming an HVAC unit.

"There's a PMC Falcon that's inbound, hijacking it seem good?"

Alaska puts some rounds into a BOPE UAV, causing it to bug off and be replaced by said PMC Falcon.

"Cali, start shooting at the cockpit, I'm moving to hijack."

Alaska starts running towards the Falcon as it nears our flank, I put a few shots into the pilot's chest and move onto the passengers. The senior freelancer hops onto the side handholds and pops the cockpit open, tossing the injured pilot out.

"Move lassie. North, cover her."

Alaska swings the falcon toward the crowd and opens up with the chin gun as I hop on.

"We're outbound."

Out of the corner of my eye, I spot a squad of black uniformed soldiers, not Kievan or PMC. One of them draws a Luger and points it at our Falcon.

"You get the name of that officer?"

"Negative."

"Damn. Get back to base, our party guests will RV when they can."

 **A/N: Two Frontlines chapters inbound, set to be done by Oct. 31st. Unjust Phoenix afterwards.**


	7. November Kilo

**November Kilo**

Agent California

UNSC Mother of Invention, in orbit of New Kiev

April 2553

"Pacific Unit! Fall in!"

Our little band of freelancers groups up around a trio of Pelicans, Alaska, Oregon, and the Director standing near the middle one.

"Mission is to discover source of rumors surrounding Kievan insurrection. At the moment, a planet wide civil war is raging below. Half the unit will go to each major faction. I leave the two senior officers to divvy that up."

The director leads as Alaska steps up.

"Alright, major factions consist of the Neo-Bolshevik "Union of Workers", and the "Federal New Kiev" loyalists. I'll be working with the Reds and Takaeda's gonna be going with the Whites."

The Japanese freelancer nods.

"You want first pick?"

"You go."

"Right then. Montana."

A black and gold freelancer sprints over to the group.

"Wash?"

"Montana's in sickbay. Scuffle between him, Kansas, and DC earlier. I'm taking over his place with you till he recovers."

"On whose orders?"

"Counselor's, sir."

"Fine, you're with me then."

The selection process goes on for a few minutes, the final groups being Alaska, Washington, Idaho and myself headed to the Reds, while Oregon, Utah, and the two Russians, going to the Whites.

"Strap in, you'll be HALO jumping to the respective RV point, try and stick together on the entry."

The four lock into our EVA packs as the pelican starts maneuvering to face the hangar doors.

"What about weapons?"

"We're getting equipment from our specific factions. Standby."

The pelican exits the ship and starts heading into the atmosphere.

"So you wanna run by what we're doing here sir?"

Alaska checks the seals on his rebreathers and passes a datachip to Wash.

"That's our briefing from our contact at the surface. We're gonna do a HALO jump to avoid Triple A patrols and RV with our contact at the location specified in briefing."

"Ah."

"Switch to secure radio."

I toggle over my radio as the altimeter in my helmet goes from blue to yellow.

"Final prep!"

We all stand as our jumpmaster goes through and tightens any loose straps on our kit.

"Washington and Cali, stick close on your jumps."

I take a second to load and ready my M45 MEUSOC, Wash peering out one of the rectangular viewports.

"On second thought, I might not want to actually do this sir."

Alaska chimes in, loading a magazine into his P226.

"Relax, it's just diving from a board… 35,000 feet in the air."

I look out, then instantly pull back.

"No sir, that did not help."

Alaska and Idaho chuckle.

The altimeter goes from yellow to red.

"Hook up!"

Everyone links their parachutes on the left, the back bay door depressurizing.

"Standby."

The altimeter flicks over to green as the bay door opens.

"GO GO GO!"

I start shuffling forward, going out after Wash, who disappears into the high clouds and the fogged visor.

 **A/N: Oh "I'm gonna be writing more!", "I'll finally stick to a schedule!".** **Me and my stupid mouth.**


	8. Touchdown

Touchdown

Agent California, Volvlost Province, New Kiev

Apr. 2553

I start tearing off my jump kit, checking around me and sticking to a tree. A few deer like creatures scatter from all the noise. I start to peek out before spotting Wash in a tree, struggling to get at his release.

"Hold on."

I get to his tree and start climbing up, Wash drawing his pistol to watch my back.

"You know I had this, right?"

I chuckle, getting his release and dropping down.

"Oh yeah, you had that."

Wash chuckles before heading away from our landing points, I try and get the others over SATCOM.

"Nothing, you think that-"

"They're fine, from what I've heard about Alaska, they'll be fine."

I settle that discomfort as we get to the edge of village, Wash taking a second to consult his map, confirming that it is the RV.

"Right. We should hold here, make sure any patrols don-"

Wash stops talking and lays down, I look around before following suite, two ATVs roll into the forest we just exited from.

"Right, we're gonna need to crawl to the RV."

\-- Alaska --

"Sit down Nik."

I release my chokehold on a White Army trooper, grabbing his AK-12 and gear harness. Trading out IFF patches, I stand up and move for Idaho's chute.

"Air Ward, Lewis on the ground."

Static, I toggle my earpiece to squad and overhear a quip from Washington. I bring my AK-12 to bear before getting tackled to the ground by Idaho.

"What do ya think you're doing lass?"

"Panzer."

I look and spot an aged T-55 and a light escort, two of the escort take off on ATVs towards the RV.

"Right, let's get that tank."

Idaho rolls off me and draws an AUG PARA, moving to the other two escort troops to take them out, I run for the tank and get up to the hatch, Idaho taking the two guards as I open the hatch and pull the commander out. Idaho takes care of him as I light up the rest of the occupants.

"Clear. Let's get these bodies out and get down to the RV."

\-- California --

"Another group inbound. Anymore RPGs?"

"No, I'm spent."

I shrug off the launcher, ducking into a foxhole with a SKS. Wash ducks into a nearby building as a T-72 fires at his previous cover, flattening on of the few nearby cars as it rolls in.

"Hold on."

Wash tosses a semtex onto the side of the tank, stopping it just a few feet in front of me. I hear a sharp yelp and a burst of AK-74 shots as Wash crumples, a White Guard coming to where he was. The tank's commander gets on the coaxial and sweeps around, stopping at me.

"Shit."

The de facto gunner swings the turret up and to the left, a whistling cutting from my six. The T-72 takes a shell to the turret, fireballing it as a T-55 comes out of the forest.

"Right then. Cali, get Wash. We'll get to you as soon as possible."

The T-55's coaxial starts firing at troops moving in on us, I get to Wash, sitting against a wall.

"Shit shit shit."

I move to get him up, he pulls me close and draws my MEUSOC, taking down a White that got close enough to take us both out.

"Good moves."

Wash stomachs a smile before I get him up, getting my pistol off the floor.

"Right, head through the building to their side. They got a jeep out front."

Another shot whistles overhead as another explosion goes off.

"Go."

I hoist Wash over my shoulder and draw his Magnum, then move for the jeep. A White trooper goes to fire on us before he gets dropped by the T-55 coaxial.

"Move it lass. We can't stay here."

I get Wash in the jeep, get a GsH-18 out of the glove compartment and start driving to the tank, The White Guardsmen pulling out of the village as a Su-25 comes in for an attack run. I meet up with the tank, Alaska already out of it and moving to hop into the shotgun seat.

"Ditch the tank. We need the mobility."

Idaho hops to the back with Wash and hands her AUG PARA to Alaska.

"Right, we'll hide out for a bit. I gotta get contact with the Director."

I gun the jeep away from the mess the RV was, the sun rising to contrast the smoke.


	9. Lost and Found

**Lost and Found**

Agent Alaska, Near Air Base Alendrov, Volvlost Province, New Kiev

"Drops should be coming in now."

I look up as several supply pods impact nearby our position.

"In other occurrences, Oregon has brought to light two pieces of intel for us. First, White Forces have had the planet cleared of Red Army forces for months."

"Damn. We're gonna be working without the guerilla support."

"Second, he identified a confirmed deal between the government of New Kiev and the Insurrection. Location has been sent to you. Figure out what the deal is about and shut it down. We've extracted his team and will do the same for you and your team once this is done."

"Understood Councillor, we'll get it done."

I shut off the comlink and slide down to the supply pods, everyone already picking through and getting their kits sorted.

"Command's detailed a deal between government forces and the Insurrection going down at a nearby air base. We're heading to that, shutting it down, then getting off planet."

I take an L86A2 and a MK25 SOCOM pistol from the drop, fitting the L86 with a sound suppressor and loading up on magazines, California takes her MA5, Wash takes a BR55, and Idaho takes a HK417 and a USP-S.

"Right, We've got about 4 hours before the meeting kicks off, we should go."

 **\-- California, Alendrov Air Base --**

"Hold up lass."

I stop as Alaska takes a wire cutter and cuts a hole under the perimeter fence, slipping under and holding it up for me to get under.

"Wash, you got anything?"

"Negative, comms are silent and no cars have passed by."

"Right, Get Idaho to watch the runways, keep us posted."

I move over to the side of a storage shed, Alaska finishing up hiding a dead guard.

"Sweep through. No survivors."

Alaska takes down two patrolling guards and crosses one of the dirt roads, I get a third and move to the SAM radar.

"You have Pelicans inbound. They just got spotted by FILISS."

"Time to landing?"

"2 minutes."

"Fuck."

Alaska's accent makes the pronunciation sound like fook, which I chuckle to, getting a disapproving look in response before we head for the runway.

"Pelicans will be here now… ish."

I lie down and throw a face shield on my rifle, Alaska taking position behind me with his L86 unsuppressed.

"Right, move up to the ATC tower. That should be-"

Two jet black, unmarked Pelicans drop out of the sky, stopping inches above the ground using their VTOL jets, the craft land, with Insurrectionists pouring out joined by a small cloaked figure and a heavily armored figure.

"Never mind. Wash, start recording. We'll move to an alternate coverage spot."

I look to the figures, the smaller cloaked one looks back, almost looking at me, they crack a smirk and look to the other side of the meet, a few White Army officers handing over a device as their men start loading crates on to one of the Pelicans, the Insurrectionists looking for any suspicious looks from the White Army troops.

"Lass, get the hell off the runway."

Alaska pulls me back to the ditch by the runway, then continues to the ATC tower, I follow behind, but look up again to the meet. The smaller figure looks around again, this time conspicuously stopping at where I am several times in their sweep. I duck my head down and start crawling faster to Alaska, finishing up with a lock on the tower's utility room.

"Looks like an arms deal. Can't see inside the crates."

Alaska opens up the utility room, then draws his MK25, taking down a janitor and his cleaning drone.

"Right. Cali, get a tag on both of their birds. I'll provide overwatch."

Alaska passes me a couple of trackers and an active camo module.

"The unit's usable, but don't rely on it."

I take the trackers and attach the Active Camo to my armor, running a test of it's interface before splitting off, Alaska headed farther into the tower as I head back out.

"Right, secure one of the trackers to the crate Pelican first. It'll be closer."

I draw my M45 and activate the camo module, crouch walking to the two Pelicans. The smaller figure walks over to the Pelican being loaded up and talks with one of their men standing by it. I freeze as they look straight at me, but remember the active camo as they look away. I plant the first tracker under the nose of the bird before stopping, listening to footsteps closing in on my position. I draw my combat knife as the armored figure approaches the front of the bird.

"Stay absolutely still lass."

I turn my head slowly to catch the glint of Wash's scope glint, followed by Alaska's.

"Do not move."

I slowly turn back to face the armored figure. It, the only way to describe it, was huge. Easily beating out an Elite in height, weilding a full sized M2HB machine gun fed from it's back. It also had extra plates of titanium on it's arms and chest, with a flashlight attached to it's "helmet". Sweeping its gaze around, it brought it's machine gun to bear as it spotted a drunken White Army soldier out on the runway.

It would've taken maybe three shots to put the man down. This thing, however, laid about thirty rounds of sustained fire into the man, without hesitation. It then laid it's machine gun across it's chest, then walked back to the meet. I looked at the man that it had just ripped in half, trying to cling onto some remainder of his lower half. It took Wash directly calling me to snap me out of it.

"Hey, we need that last tracker planted."

I shake myself out of my trance and move to the other Pelican, putting the other tracker on as the cloaked figure comes to the front, drawing a Luger and killing the injured man. I note the gold plated prosthetic arm as I move to the far side of the runway, they shift their attention to where I was, and look straight at me. They holster there pistol, then toss out a steel orb. This orb starts rolling towards me, my HUD sensing lead and a EM current running through it.

The orb stops between two White Army guards, sticking to one of guard's shin plate. He picks it off his shin and starts speaking in heavily accented Russian, his buddy arguing with him and snagging from him. This prompts an argument between the two eventually the finder of the orb smacking it out of guard #2's hand, it dropping and rolling towards me, sticking to my armor and glowing blue. My active camo starts failing, and two suppressed gunshots ring out as the two guards drop dead. I yank off the orb and the active camo module, bring up my rifle, and move to the hangers nearby.

"Good shooting Wash."

I shake my helmet off and check the radio, a low buzzing tone continuing after the EMP orb impacted. A Insurrectionist coming around to find out what the commotion was about. I spot Alaska track him and fire, getting him down, and putting some of his blood across my face shield.

"We got what we need. Get out."

I throw my helmet on before alarms start blaring across the base, the sound of machine gun fire following.

"Go go go."

Alaska turns his attention to the meet, spraying the assembled with as much fire from a captured PKM machine gun as possible before heading back into the tower. I myself start running into the maintenance bay of the airbase, trading fire with both White Army troops and Insurrectionists, Wash and Idaho providing cover fire as I proceed towards them. I throw a frag grenade at a mass of fence before getting tackled, the two of us rolling into a T-55 in a workshop.

I get up first, dust myself off as my aggressor hops up and tosses away his rifle and draws a knife. I produce my own just as he starts the first swing, getting inches from my visor. I get a hold of his arm and pull her in to try and clothesline him, but he flips me to the ground, jumping on top of me and driving my knife into a weaker part of my armor. He then wraps her hands around my throat, attempting to choke me out before getting his head smashed against my visor by Alaska, who gets his corpse off me and hands me his rifle.

"Let's move lass, now!"

I didn't need his advice to start booking it for a nearby helipad, Alaska jumping into the cockpit of a Mi-24 and interfacing with it. I hop into the gunner seat, link to the controls, and start suppressing our pursuers. Alaska gets us up in the air, hovering over the airbase as the Insurrectionist Pelicans gun it out of the AO, leaving a bunch of White Army troops to handle us.

"Wash, move out of the AO and to the exfil site, we're gonna clean up here."

I start lighting up a convoy of vehicles trying to leave the base, then move to troops trying to mount AA guns, Alaska clearing house.

We finished cleaning up at the airbase in 40 minutes, with Alaska setting us down by the convoy and getting out to check it.

"Nu trage! Nu trage!"

Alaska identifies the speaker and pulls him out of the wreckage of one of the cars, I search through the wreckage as Alaska interrogates the Insurrectionist.

"A name. All I need is a name lad, then you can go."

"Nu sunt un blestemat insurecționist, am fost contractat de la un PMC din care am plecat-"

"I don't fucking care. You give me some names, or some fingers are coming off."

"Diavolii albi! Acesta este PMC. Asta-i tot ce pot da."

Alaska nods, stands up, and kicks the merc to knock him out.

"Now we're done here."

I nod, before finding something in the rear vehicle. I pull it out and show it to Alaska.

"Good. Bring it with us."

We head back to the copter, I strap in in the back and try to catch some sleep as Alaska takes us to the exfil point.

 **A/N: I've cancelled Unjust Phoenix. I started creating too many connecting subplots, brought in stuff from the Treyarch zombies universe, and just cluttered it completely.** **At some point I will probably create a new continuation of Fireteam Phoenix, but this has my attention for the time being.** **Expect the continuation of mainline RvB Season Nine with the next few chapters.** **-Xeno**


	10. Reflection

**Reflection**

Agent California, Mother of Invention, May 2553

 _It's been about 6, maybe 7 weeks since my mission in New Kiev. Wash has recovered well from his wounds, and during the time between now and then, we've had some new faces join our ranks._ _First, there's Craig, or Agent Arkansas. He was brought on by Utah. Good friends, turns out he was a SEAL. Alaska's had him move in with us for the time being, considering that Monica and Marius are working to trace some leads in Austria._ _After him, Agents New Mexico and Vermont joined. They're… ok, from what I can tell. They stick together, same workout regime, go on the same assignments, even take the same classes. It's just that the only people they talk to are each other._ _Oh yeah, the Director started implementing classes for some of the newer recruits due to the higher join rate lately. It's basic stuff, taking what 'Laska and Oregon taught us and applying it as a required class for those just joining._ _North and South followed up on a lead from Kiev recently. It must be good, it got North in critical._ _More training between all of the Freelancers, whether its CQC (pretty good at surprisingly), shooting, infiltration (utter trash at this), or the killhouse. Usually up against 'Laska or Utah._ _Speaking of them, and my unit as a whole, we've started creating nicknames for each other based on our equipment, personas, etc._ _Alaska = Thatcher. He's started using a mix of EMP grenades and signal jammers for missions. A "thatchwork" (ba dum-tss) of anti-electronic equipment._ _Oregon = Echo. Him and Monica have been working on surveillance drones for us to use for scouting. He made his own that hovers and sends out a sonar pulse._ _Idaho = IQ. Probably the smartest person I've ever known when it comes to friends. She's helped us work on getting ourselves out of harm's way whenever possible, her dad was killed due to being put in unnecessarily dangerous situations in the Luftwaffe. She plays smart, not hard._ _Montana = Jäger. He followed his second father's footsteps and joined the Luftwaffe, created ADS and anti-missile lock technologies for helicopters and jets. He's worked with his half sister to miniaturize the tech he made back then._ _Utah = Thermite. I had my doubts back when I first met him, but he's both dependable as a teammate, and a master chemist. He created anti-fortification equipment for the FBI and has worked to improve it here._ _Arkansas = Blackbeard. Thatch, Echo, and I all thought this when we first met him, for very obvious reasons. He's a bit over confident, being a former SEAL and all, but having given him my old face shield setup for my new equipment might have helped ground him a bit._ _California = Ash. Originally, I was going to be Onlooker, but when I got my new kit, Thatch started calling me Ash because of the launcher, and because of a bet with Thermite that got us both burned (figuratively) by the Director._ _All of these are, while unofficial, still used between us on missions. Even the others (save for some exceptions) don't mind us using them._ _Anyways, I'd figure that i'd start writing in this more. Things seem to get more interesting as weeks go by._

"Right, 23.89 seconds. Switch to your pistol more South, it'll cut time off your runs."

I look up from my journal to notice that South finished her 5th run of the Killhouse, her time on par with the past two runs. Considering Thatch had gave the same advice last time, South was just here to log hours for the next mission.

"Right, who's up next?"

The director walks into the room and pulls Thatcher aside for a minute, Wash going in for his 3rd run. Thatcher returns as Wash finishes up his run.

"FILISS, how fast was that?"

"About 21 seconds."

"Right. Wash, run it again. Oregon, take over."

Alaska heads back out, J crack open my journal again and finish up some fine details.

 **\-- Agent Alaska --**

"Sir, I was told that you weren't taking anyone new in until the newest batch was ready."

"I thought so too. This is a special case however, and she has requested a mission straight off the bat after signing on."

"Sounds like every hothead from the UNSC. Why'd you accept her request?"

"She seemed up to the challenge. I'm asking you to be her supervisor, at least for the next few weeks."

I pace around, toying with my beret as I do.

"Fine, but Pacific gets to join in on the next mission related to Kiev."

"That's fine by me. I'll have Pierce drop off your guidelines for the supervision."

We shake on the deal.

"I'm assuming that I'll be meeting her before her mission starts?"

"She'll be introducing herself to everyone soon, I had her agree to a "test" to prove that she was fine to take a mission Day 1."

"We'll see then."

 **\-- Agent California, 2 hours later --**

The Director had asked most of the Freelancers to head down to the Arena, no specifics. I was actually surprised by the turnout nonetheless, figuring that everyone would still be working towards getting on the priority list for the next mission.

A few absences, however, were York, Wyoming, Alaska, and Maine. I'd heard they were headed to get psych eval tests today, but I figured that would've been later in the day.

"You wanted us sir?"

"Yes. I'd like you all to be here. After our newest recruit finishes their tests, we will be discussing the next mission."

I take a seat overlooking the arena, York, Wyoming, and Maine walking into the field, each taking a M6G and loading it by paint rounds. I shudder, remembering the last time I had to clean off my armor from this type of training. A fourth Freelancer in jet black armor takes the last pistol and loads it. The recruit looks up to the observation deck, the Director giving the faintest nod before they start shooting.

They all moved fast enough to evade the decently fast paint blobs, bobbing and weaving between pillars. Eventually though, Maine got immobilized, the two remaining Freelancers ducking behind pillars and emptying their magazines, loading new ones in. York steps out, gets shot by the recruit. Unlike Maine however, he trades with them, getting a .455 off into their shoulder, forcing both to retreat to cover.

"Live rounds? They trying to kill the new guy?"

York pulls off some of the hardening paint before motioning to Wyoming, tossing a grenade to him. Wyoming the charges the recruit, getting gully covered in paint from the front. York jumps off of him and land a few more shots into the recruit, then starts the timer on the grenade, tossing it at the recruit. The recruit, however, jumps off Maine, kicks the grenade back to York, and floors him with the impact. They then start covering his chest and head as fast as possible before the grenade goes off.

"Shit."

Everyone rushes down to the arena, Wyoming getting free of the paint and working on getting Maine out.

York ended up the worst however. The medics and Carolina had gotten the paint off of him as soon as they had gotten down. While he wasn't dead, he probably would have been better off unconscious. His visor was completely fragmented, shards of it and the grenade casing having cut up his face and even cut up one of his eyes. The recruit just walked past all of us, the Director coming out with Alaska in tow. The latter escorting the new recruit out of the arena. The director goes off on the three combatants on bringing live handguns and grenades, then dismisses us.

 **\-- Alaska, Mother Of Invention Mission Prep --**

"We've got orders to head to Dublin. One of the Pelicans from New Kiev got spotted by Irish Police. We're going down to secure it.

The recruit finishes gearing up, taking a MA5B and a M6D for firearms, and full combat loads on ammo and grenades. I take an G3A3, STEN, and a Glock 27. I trade out ceramic plates and snag some spare gas mask filters before heading out.

"You don't talk much, do you?"

"I can, just not my style."

"Good."

"Texas, by the way."

"Alaska."

The two of us board a Pelican, the pilot taking us out and getting us planetside.

A/N: Right then, I've started work on a anthology story for Fireteam Phoenix, to try and regain interest in that storyline. Updates for that will be less common than updates for this.


	11. Irish Gig

**Irish Gig**

Agent Alaska, Dublin CBD, May 2553

"Agents. The situation in Dublin has deteriorated since our alert to the Pelican by the regional government."

I sweep across the aftermath of pretty serious rioting as our Pelican begins to land on a nearby helipad.

"Insurrectionist-backed riots have swept through most of the city's CBD and started getting into the sprawl over the past 18 hours, with the area being locked down and under close eye from London. Irish Guardsmen, supported by British Army reserves from the North, have begun trying to break the stalemate. However, FILISS believes the package will be moved out of Dublin anytime now. We need to secure the flight recorder from the Pelican, as well as the cargo."

The Pelican lands, Tex and I dismounting.

"Good luck."

I draw my STEN as the Pelican bugs out and load it with rubber bullets, Tex doing the same with her Magnum. We start clearing through our landing building, running into a few civilians sheltering in their flats. We reach the ground floor, Tex moving to the door as I pull down my gas mask and put a filter in.

"They might have CS gas in their possession."

I nod to Tex, who opens up the door and heads out into the street, I follow suite and cross to the far side, keeping Tex on my left.

"Right, hold up."

I take position behind a car and screw a suppressor onto my STEN, Tex peeking around the corner of a building to confirm her suspicion.

"We have rioters in the street. Count 8."

I look up and spot them, all going over to try and get into a pharmacy. Two more guys come over, both with shotguns.

"Hold on lass, two just entered the picture from the far street."

The two with shotguns walk up on the eight trying to get into the pharmacy, gunning them down and moving closer to us.

"Right, I got these guys."

I swap to my G3 and fire on the farther shotgunner, Tex grappling the one about to round on her position. Two headshots suffice to crack his helmet and kill him, and I get over to Tex to interrogate the survivor.

"Where are your mates? There can't just be two of you here."

The shotgunner, on closer inspection an Insurrectionist, stays silent. I remove his helmet and slam it into a wall, cracking the visor.

"I ain't telling you potato pushers anything."

I grab the man from Tex and put his head to the wall, Tex putting her MA5 in his face.

"Oh you cunts are funny. You think the Irish have a bloody Spartan on their side?"

The innie whimpers at the mention of a Spartan.

"Now I ask again, where are your mates at. And do answer truthfully, cause we aren't in the 'act nice' business"

The man stays silent, I start patting him down and find a map on him. I pass it to Tex and put my elbow to his neck, incapacitating him.

"Got it. Pelican's at the Charybdis Defense Solutions lab inside the CBD. I've also got patrol routes, mentions of AFVs and a tank or two."

"Got it. Start putting that data to FILISS, I'll get the Brits on the line."

Tex breaks into a shop, puts a bench and some newspaper racks in front of it, and then ducks behind a clunter and scans in the map. I splice a line to the Irish Home Guard.

"Caller, this is a restricted line. Identify."

"Identification tag Winged Dagger, Baker. You have Insurrectionist tanks and IFVs in the Dublin CBD. Riots are a cover for Insurrectionist forces to transport an unknown, possibly dangerous, package out of Ireland."

"Copy Dagger, anything else?"

"Patch me to the CO at Dublin."

"Understood."

I finish my call and check my HUD's map, most of the details from the captured map load up, with predicted movements of the patrols and vehicles. A pin appears, both on the map and in the hud of my mask, of the target building.

"Right, let's move."

Tex and I get out of the shop and start heading for the target, taking back streets and alleyways to avoid vehicle patrols, and putting down one or two foot patrols. Edging closer to the target building, with the neon sign visible from our location, Tex stops and signals for me to regroup.

"What's the issue lass?"

Tex looks around, scanning rooftops for something.

"I've had the feeling we've been watched ever since we got here."

I take out an ECM system and pass it to Tex.

"This'll help. MOD tech from my Army days. It blocks almost all radio and IR signatures, effectively making you invisible to electronics."

I take out a second one and hook it onto my side.

"If anything, they've just had control of CCTV."

I help Tex fit the ECM to her back, then move out into the street, looking around for a tank that could ruin our day.

"Clear, start moving towards the target. We need the flight recorder at the least."

We almost get to the building as a T-99 MBT rolls into the street we just left, Tex shoots open the door with her MA5, and we both enter.

"Fuck that was close."

I barricade the door we just opened, toss Tex my STEN, then buzz the Invention.

"Alaska, change of plans. We are proceeding with our mission in Paris now. I've rerouted Agents Idaho and Montana there as well. Secure the flight recorder and destroy any cargo from New Kiev."

"Understood."

I close out the callas Tex comes back from clearing the nearby rooms.

"Head up to the roof and secure their Pelican."

Tex nods and heads up, I head to a train station underneath the facility, crawling with Insurrectionists. I get up high and start scanning with one of the drones, finding what looks to be the commander talking to a cloaked figure and some of the more senior members. I listen in to their chat.

"The boss wants all of this shipped to HQ. He's not taking chances with this."

The cloaked figure nods, with the men walking off.

"I understand that you were hired on, but that does not mean that my men take your orders. Leave that to your drones."

The cloaked figure draws something, their hands out of my line of sight, that makes the commander back off.

"Understood. I'll get the base on alert."

I bring the drone back as alarms start going off.

"Tex."

"The alarms weren't me."

"I know. How's the Pelican coming?"

"Flight recorder is good. Holding position."

"Good, try and hotwire the thing, we need to get to Paris soon."

I finish my call just as a three armed ball drone jumps me. I cut open the internals of one of its arms before falling off of the balcony I'd been using as a vantage point and onto the station floor, the impact winding me as the drone scurries back to its master, the cloaked figure from before.

"Right then."

Insurrectionist forces create a circle around us, I spot a train departing from the station. The figure raises their hand to have the innies not fire.

"Ah. Our rat has sprung the trap."

I pick up a mix of forced american and a light french accent on some of the words, the figure calling down more of the ball drones. I take an EMP grenade off my side and ready it. The drones start moving forward.

Dropping the EM grenade, I toss off my ECM and run at one of the Insurrectionists wielding a M249. The lights and drones get fried as I reach him, allowing me to take him down with just my knife and snag his MG. The rest scatter as a long string of automatic fire sprays across the area, killing a dozen and detonating ammo cases around us, getting them to fuck off. The cloaked figure removes her cloak and defends her with ten metal arms. I take a frag grenade, toss it into the crowd, then bolt for the stairs, snagging a Saiga 12K shotgun as well. The 70 some men left alive and able from the MG fire and grenade start chasing after me, the "Octo-lady" draws a pistol with one of her non-attached arms, and fires at me from down below, getting a shot in my side.

"Pelican's finished, but they've gotten up here and I'm almost empty."

I stop to toss two more grenades downstair and biofoam my wound, then runup to assist Tex.

 **\-- Agent California, Mother of Invention --**

 _We just a boarded Pelican headed after the location of the second Pelican from New Kiev. It had set down at a building in Paris, which the insurrection had covertly fortified. It all sounded off, but my questions were pushed aside when York showed up mid-meeting._ _So now all of Pacific Unit, save for Thatcher, have loaded into a Pelican, headed for Paris to finish off this case._

 **\-- Agent Alaska, Dublin --**

"Last belt!"

I finish reloading my almost flaming M249, Texas down to her Magnum for anyone who got past me. She gives me a thumbs up and I toss the MG down, grab two rifles and a trooper's equipment bag, and board the pelican, sealing the back hatch. Tex guns the craft out of the hot zone, autopiloting the craft the Paris. I put one of the rifles next to the cockpit and take off my mask, wiping the sweat off my face, then turn my attention to my captured rifle, a L1A1 FAL, and start checking for anymore 7.62 mags from the G3. Tex picks up her rifle, a L85, and gets acquainted with it.

"How's your side?"

"It'll hold."

"Good."

We sit there in silence before I chuckle.

"While I may not be the most stunning example, you need to lighten up lass."

Tex gives the Spartan styled smile, I nod and lean back, my rifle ready for later.

 **A/N: Well, two chapters done in a night. I must be really interested in this shit.**


	12. OPERATION: Mausoleum

**OPERATION: Mausoleum**

Agent California, on route to Charon Industries Paris complex, May 2553

"Alright. Group A, this is your stop coming up."

Carolina opens up the back of the Pelican and motions for Utah and I to come to the back.

"We have one shot to take care of roof security. Rifles up."

The two of us draw our M39 EBRs and ready ourselves, the Pelican heading over the roof.

"And… go."

The two of us start shooting at the guys on the roof, killing them outright or flooring them, the Pelican sweeping around again.

"Good work. Team, let's get the package."

The group, which comprised of Carolina, Maine, York, Wash, Utah, and myself, disembark from the Pelican, it gunning out of the city limits.

"York, get to work on the door. Cali and Utah, watch for aircraft."

I reload my M39 and start looking, a Pelican moving towards an opposite building and landing. York finishes up getting the door and we move in.

 **\-- Agent Alaska --**

"Right, I've got position here. Once they move in, secure the roof and get ready with the KS designator."

Tex nods, then tosses an L85 to me.

"You'll need it more than I will."

I take it and go back to setting up the L1, spotting Carolina finish off a Insurrectionist and waving forward another freelancer.

"Stand by lass."

I sight a group of two guys in the next room and drop them, Carolina hitting the deck. I switch over comm channels and hold back a chuckle.

"Room ahead's clear. Sorry for the jump."

Carolina gets off the floor and peeks into the room.

"Next time, tell us you're gonna do that."

"Yeah yeah."

 **\-- Agent California --**

"York, we got another lock up ahead, check it out."

"Looks like it'll take 60 seconds to get it open. Give me 15."

York moves over to a puzzling holographic interface, toying with it and making a comment about the creator of the lock.

"Right, you sure this is the vault?"

I look over to Carolina, finishing a call with what I would assume to be Command.

"Alright, cover the floor above us, we'll move-"

A red light starts pulsating a light shrill signifies an alarm.

"You were saying York?"

"Yeah no, whoever designed this is an asshole.

The door opens up, unveiling what some would consider a private museum of Covenant equipment. I see tracers go off from the building across from us, then a wire get launched from the same building.

"Yeah, we're on it. York, what's the situation on that exit?"

"Best bet's heading back up to the roof."

"Right, make sure that it's cleared."

York and Utah start heading back the way we came, the remaining four of us get inside the vault and seal it.

"Right, start looking for the package."

We all spread out and start looking for the symbols mentioned in the briefing, Maine takes a Brute Shot from one of the tables as a welder starts on the doors. Wash runs up to Carolina.

"Right, good news and bad news."

"What's the good news?"

"The package is here, and it hasn't locked itself down yet."

"And the bad?"

"It's not the most… transportable thing in the world."

I look over to what Wash is gesturing to, Carolina nodding.

"Right. York, there any sort of service lift up on the roof, I thought I saw one."

"Yeah. I'll send it down."

 **\-- Agent Alaska --**

I swap comm channels back to Tex.

"Right, I'm going in. Act as if we don't know we were assigned here if we run into each other."

I link a zipline to my launched wire and swap back to the other channel.

"Coming in."

I kick off the roof and ride the zipline into the floor above the vault, firing off the L85 to weaken the glass. Two of the Insurrectionists try and fire back, but the glass shards from the window breaking stun them. I finish them off and head downstairs.

 **\-- Agent California --**

"They're almost through."

Carolina kicks Maine out of the building. The lift, with Maine now counterbalancing, rockets up to the roof. Wash moves over to look down as several faint detonations go off.

"Y'know, I almost feel bad for them down there."

"Don't."

"What? I said almost."

I hear glass shatter above us and some shots ring out as the vault door opens. Wash, Carolina, and I all fire into the smoke, taking down all of the troops about to rush us.

"We got another one emerging through the smoke."

I reload my M39 as a heavily armored flametrooper walks out of the smoke. We look at him, he looks at us.

"What the fuck is with this guy?"

I almost chuckle before a plume of fire surges at us, everyone scattering.

"Oh that's hot!"

I toss away my now slagged M39 and grab a M4A1 from my back. Wash grabs a Fuel Rod Cannon from another table and fires at the Flametrooper, the round bouncing into the roof and exploding.

"It bounces?! Who designs a gun that bounces? This has got to be the worst gun ever… of all-"

Carolina tackles Wash away from an incoming surge of napalm, I stand up and start firing on the flametrooper's armor, the weapon slowing down as I try to sustain fire on him.

"Cover me!"

Carolina hops up on a suspended Banshee and uses the remaining shots in her pistol to get the attention of the flametrooper. He sprays napalm st the cables, slowly burning them away. Carolina tosses a grenade into the cockpit and kicks off of it, the Banshee exploding, the fuselage knocking. Carolina tosses a Gravity Hammer at the flametrooper for good measure.

"Come on. We need to take care of the package."

The three of us run out of the room and onto the roof, meeting with Alaska and York. We start moving for our landing point, Wash and York starting up a conversation.

"So where's Maine?"

"Downstairs, keeping our guests entertained."

"Feels bad man."

"That's what I said."

The five of us head for the package, but stop as the recruit from before stands up from behind the package, bringing out some sort of device and placing it on the center of the roof.

"You."

Carolina goes to punch the recruit, Alaska holding her back.

"You're the one who's been covering our tracks. I thought the name Texas was reserved."

York comes over to help Alaska settle the confrontation.

"I know you two are at each other's throats but we've got bigger problems."

As York finishes up, the door we sealed to slow down the Insurrectionist response team gets forced open. About two dozen come onto the roof, with more rappelling down from Hornets covering them. There commander comes forward and grabs my M4, he sweeps across the roof with it, his shotgun in the other hand.

"Drop your weapons!"

Everyone does, some of the Insurrectionists come forward to grab our rifles while the others form a circle around us.

"Hey dipshit, defuse the bomb."

The leader points his shotgun at York, the tan freelancer moving over to the "bomb". Alaska gives a subtle nod to Carolina and steps between her and the leader.

"Yeah, this isn't a bomb, it's a transmitter."

All the Insurrectionists sigh in relief, then the leader raises his weapon to York.

"Wait, a transmitter? What's it transmitting?"

"Our location."

I notice Alaska unstrap a spare holster and toss it to one of the Insurrectionists, they step out, pistol butt a comrade, then start shooting off a Webley revolver, there armor switches colors to aquamarine as a force starts knocking down Insurrectionists. Alaska draws another revolver and starts shooting as York passes the transmitter, now with a beam emitting from it, to the Insurrectionist leader. He starts moving to the edge of the building, waving for the rest of us to follow. We barely start to move as a MAC round goes through the center of the building. The recruit kicks the package off the roof, then joins Alaska in snatching jetpacks from dead Insurrectionists, proceeding to dive off the roof as Carolina, Wash, York, and I all jump off the roof, the building beginning to fall behind us.

"Cali, try and drag a Hornet away from this mess. Everyone else, move to get the package out."

I start ducking off, a Hornet on pursuit. I catch a glimpse of Was getting forced into our escape Pelican by Tex before crashing into a lower building. I bounce off it, then crash into a nearby alley.

 **\-- Agent Alaska --**

"Right, make sure the package is good, then get back out here."

I watch as Carolina and York grab onto a Warthog driven by Maine, and land on a nearby freeway, I land on a building overlooking that freeway as the tower comes down. The Pelican getting the Package out goes out of sight, but I catch a smaller object jumping into the outer CBD from it.

"Right then."

I take a speed loader off my kit, reload my Enfield N 2, then go to check the destroyed tower for a vehicle, trying to raise Cali.

"California. Check check."

I drop down from my building, bursting the jetpack as to not injure myself. I ditch the pack, run over to a nearby Warthog, then set off for California's HUD blip.

"Ash, respond."

I pick up something faint, nothing distinguishable.

 **\-- Agent California --**

I shake myself out of my disoriented state and look around, spotting a couple of Insurrectionists looking at a mangled M4 wrapped around a lamppost. I reach for my M45 before noticing them drop dead, a smaller figure, almost like a boy, floating over to me. It stops right in front of me as static build up in my HUD, a stream of numbers scroll rapidly across my HUD, as well as get spoken through my comm unit.

 _"9-20 9-19 7-15-15-4 20-15 19-5-5 25-15-21 1-7-1-9-14 9 23-15-14-4-5-18-5-4 23-8-5-14 23-5 4 19-5-5 5-1-3-8 15-20-8-5-18 1-7-1-9-14."_

The floating figure now comes closer, I spot several details about its appearance. It was small, almost like a kid, in an oversized black straight jacket with some foreign writing scrawled across it at it's diaphragm. It had messy dark brown hair, but any other facial details were obscured by an antique gas mask it was wearing.

This "floating boy" reached out for my now drawn M45 and took it from me, then tossed it away. It then moved to take off my helmet, exposing my eyes to get a look into it's. It then produced a small hand from the jacket and brushed my face, another stream of numbers going through my headset.

 _"4-15-14-20 23-15-18-18-25 25-15-21 23-9-12-12 18-5-20-21-18-14 8-15-13-5 19-15-15-14."_

I look behind it as a Warthog pulls up behind the boy. The boy also notices and disappears, Alaska walking up to me.

"What fooking pyscho bullshite was that?"

He looks around for any insurrectionists, then grabs my helmet and returns it to me.

"Right, Team 2 got pinned and the rest of Team 1 picked up the chase for the briefcase. Were heading to go help Team 2."

Alaska pulls me out of the rubble pile and starts running back to his commandeered Warthog. I move to it and get into the passenger seat before passing out.

 **\-- Several days later, Mother of Invention Medical Wing, Recovery Ward --**

"To be transparent sir, I only saw a straight jacketed figure on top of Agent California, she was the one who actually came in contact with it."

Some mumbling follows from whoever Thatcher was talking to.

"No sir, I don't think either one of us was hallucinating."

More mumbling.

"Understood. This'll be kept under wraps."

Someone leaves the room, I muster what energy I have to stir myself awake.

"Agent California, it is good to see you awake."

I look around and spot the councillor sitting down across the room, datapad in hand as if he were interviewing me.

"What did I miss?"

"Your mission was, generally, a success. Minor injuries across every Agent, to be expected, but the package was obtained."

I nod and prop myself up on a pillow.

"You were out for three days. As is protocol, I need to get a more elaborate debrief from anyone unconscious due to a mission."

I sigh, then explain what happened all the way up to jumping off the building.

"That's not the end of the mission Agent. What happened after landing in that alley."

"It's… it's a blur. I have no recollection up until getting put into a Pelican, I passed out again during the flight and woke up here today."

The councillor nods, almost confused by what I said, then looks back up and nods.

"All right. You are free to leave whenever you feel ready. The director has given you pardon on classes for now."

I nod, then slink down off the pillow and try to get some more sleep.

 **\-- Agent Alaska --**

"This is such bullshit."

I catch a dummy grenade thrown by Carolina, dropping it into an empty munitions box.

"I told you the leaderboards were meaningless lass. That's on you not listening. Now the newer lass has got you unnecessarily pissed."

I catch a more aggressively thrown grenade, tossing it into the box.

"She showed up what, two days ago? What the hell did she do on that mission?"

I shrug, catching a third grenade.

"Well, I'm headed to England for a couple of days and I know you and your lad's anniversary is coming up."

Carolina tosses a fourth grenade, this one I let hit the wall behind me.

"Look, it'll be decent stress relief. I know some good places across the UK. Just you and York,"

I catch a fifth grenade.

"Three to five days."

Carolina tosses the last grenade in her box and heads over to my side of the range.

"I'll talk it over with him."

"All I needed to hear lass."

 **A/N: Bit of delay, but another chapter's out. Mystery time boys.**


	13. FOX

**FOX**

Agent Alaska, Babylon-on-Thames, London, May 2553

I finish sending off York and Carolina, who head off for a club nearby.

"And for God's sake, don't start anything!"

I watch them go until they get out of sight, then turn to face the SIS building.

"Right then."

I head on in, holding up my papers as I pass through security. One guard directs me through a side door and ties a zip tie around the hammer of my Mk. VI revolver. He then lets me go, I head down to the archives to gather some intel on a object of interest.

 **\-- Agent California, Mother of Invention --**

"You here Cali?"

"Yeah, why?"

I come over to the door of my dorm and open it, Wash waiting in the hallway.

"Oh, hi Wash, you need something?"

"Yeah. You seen Alaska around? Director asked me to look for him."

"He went planetside with Carolina and York, why?"

"Right, thanks."

Wash starts off, but I catch his arm before he goes.

"Hey, something up?"

Wash looks back to me, then starts looking for a way out of the situation.

"No, I'm good."

I can almost feel the sweat through his bodysuit.

"You sure?"

"Yeah. Perfectly fine."

"Ok…"

I let go of his arm, he rubs his wrist.

"Quite a grip there, you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm just tense when people get jumpy. Just what happens when you serve with the Navy."

"Now this has a story behind it, wanna… share it over a drink?"

"But I thought-"

"I can pass the tip later. This is probably more interesting."

 **\-- Agent Alaska --**

I thumb through another file cabinet of hard copy records of the SIS. I stop on one file, pull it out, then flip through it.

"Bingo."

I take the file and scan it to a storage device, I then return to the file cabinet and store it away, close up the cabinet, and head back out into London.

As I get out onto the street, a MRAP pulls up to the curb. Several uniformed soldiers, armed with G3A4s, hop out and secure a perimeter. One walks up to me and looks over my face.

"Baker, correct?"

I look him over. Like the rest of his unit, he was wearing a full grey BDU with a ballistic vest on, no form of patches on his uniform.

He clacks the bolt of his G3 to get my attention.

"James Baker, SAS. Am I mistaken?"

"No."

"Good. You're coming with us."

A armored limo pulls up behind the MRAP, followed by another MRAP. I get escorted to the limo and get in, the soldier who escorted me closes the door and heads back to his MRAP. I look across the car, a man sitting across wearing a black cowboy hat and trenchcoat.

"Jack. It's been too long."

I reach for my Mk VI, stopping once I notice the Mare's Leg pointed at my head.

"Going to try and kill me? What about your new 'friends' and their anniversary?"

I slowly move away from my revolver, the Mare's Leg lowering.

"Besides, I only want to talk."

The man across the car takes off his hat and sets it on the seat next to him, revealing a scarred and bleached, almost skull like face wearing a lone ranger type mask. He taps the wall behind him and the convoy starts moving.

"So your trip to Paris was eventful, I presume."

"Get to the point. Something big must've happened for you to try and contact me."

"Skull Face" sighs.

"Always the direct one. No time to persuade the opponent into giving information."

I give him a glare, to which he only chuckles at.

"So what does the mighty XOF unit need from me?"

Skull Face leans in and passes me a briefcase.

"One of our experiments was stolen by the same people the project you left us for have been dealing with. They also used this experiment to kill Zero."

I chuckle.

"I was right. You are scared. You think that with Zero gone, you might not be able to stay in control of XOF."

I notice that Skull Face has gone from a neutral attitude and now sits on the defensive.

"I assure you that had I not have a use for you, you would have not left this vehicle alive."

I take a drink from the limo's bar and pour myself a glass.

"Moving on, I believe that one of our rouge 'projects' has joined Freelancer. I would like them returned."

"So two experiments to return, for what? More twisted games with your pet project?"

Skull Face leans back in his seat as the vehicle comes to a stop.

"I will leave you here. My men will not harm you or your friends so long as you complete your missions."

I give Skull Face a curt nod as the soldier from before opens up my door. He raises his G3 at me as I grab the briefcase from inside the limo and exit the vehicle.

"Right lad, I'm going."

The XOF soldier closes the limo door and heads back to his MRAP, the convoy leaving. I look around and spot the club I referred Carolina and York to.

 **\-- Agent California, 2 days later --**

"Hey North,"

The purple freelancer looks over to my lane at the range.

"Yeah kid, what's up?"

"Is something up with Wash? He's been off for the last couple of days."

"Not from what I've seen, but to be fair,"

We both look over to Wash and South doing a quick sparring match across the training center.

"I've had other... responsibilities to deal with."

The implied responsibility gets knocked down, Wash looking over to us for a second before getting South up.

"Now that you mention it."

 **\-- Agent Alaska, Mother of Invention Bridge --**

"Agent. I take it that you have obtained what we needed from SIS?"

"Yes sir. All the information on our Insurrectionist friends is on here."

I pass a storage drive across the holotable, an Intel member taking it and heading off to sort through it.

"Well done. As you know, we are moving to Phase Two of the program. I hope I do not need to remind you that interfering with our operations will result in expulsion."

"I understand, sir."

"Good, you are dismissed."

 **\-- Agent California, MoI Mess Hall --**

I finish up grabbing my meal and head over to the rest of the Freelancers in the hall, taking a seat between North and Idaho. Oregon finishes up his story as I nudge North.

"Yeah?"

"Your thoughts on Wash?"

York stands up and looks over at us.

"You mean Lovestruck?"

All of us look over at him as Carolina pulls him back down.

"What?"

"You've been noticing it, no? Anytime he's around Cali, he gets all jittery, just like he was with CT for a while."

The mentioned brown freelancer shrugs off the looks from Idaho and Montana.

"That's a story for another time."

"Is it really though?"

Idaho says something to Montana in German.

"What? Never was a people person, jeez."

York looks over to the other side of the room and notices Wash walk in.

"Anyways, I know that Cali's gonna have to make a move for him to stop."

Wash gets over to our table, trading places with Oregon as he, CT, Wyoming, and Montana head off to another table to make space.

"So then…"

The tables sat in complete silence as we ate, Wash eyeing me every couple of minutes. Once everyone finishes up, Oregon comes over with a couple of shot glasses and some sake.

"I know that this is a bit late for our lovebirds, but I want to congratulate our unofficial couple on their 3rd anniversary!"

A small little celebration follows. I keep an eye on Wash the entire time. As everyone clears on out, York walks over to me.

"Yeah no, he's definitely stricken by you."

I slug him in the shoulder.

"Hey!"

We both get a chuckle out of the situation, I say goodnight and retire to my dorm.

 **A/N: A small little chapter to get the start of a few things out of the way. Expect more soon.**


	14. OPERATION: White Hawk

**OPERATION: White Hawk**

Agent California, en route to a repurposed URNA Internment Camp, somewhere in the Bering Strait, Aug. 2553

"Right, we got another patrol coming along."

A few jeeps and a couple of cargo trucks roll down a snow covered road into view as Wash crawls over to me. He takes a second to reposition his Battle Rifle.

"Charges are good Carolina."

Alaska pokes his head and a G3 out over a nearby ridge and sights the rear car. The front car rounds a corner before satchel charges in the road go off, leveling trees nearby and blocking off the far side of our ambush. Alaska puts a round into the driver of the rear car, then puts a around through the engine block of a truck.

"We're up."

Wash and I stand up and start firing in the guys trying to take cover from the shots. One of the men goes to run for a M2HB mounted on one of the trucks before catching a Plasma Rifle shot to the chest. Carolina emerges from the woods up by Alaska, providing some suppressive fire on anyone trying to peek out at Alaska. After mopping up the remaining stragglers, Alaska and Carolina slide down from their hill and meet up with Wash and I.

"Good work. Next patrol should be in 20 mikes. Let's get a couple of their jeeps and start heading for objective."

Alaska nods to Carolina and goes to move one of the trucks out of the road, Wash waving for me to help him get a jeep unstuck.

"You think this is off? I don't think that supply trucks would usually be joining a vehicle patrol."

I reach into the mess that is the front seats of the jeep and release the E-Brake, Wash pushing the jeep out and into the forest.

"To be honest, something seemed off about this ever since we were setting up this ambush."

"Least it's not falling buildings."

I shake my head.

"No, it's not."

Alaska checks the round count on the armed jeep.

"These guys were almost out. They were shooting beforehand as well."

Carolina passes a M57 Pilum to Alaska, then hops into the driver's seat. Wash and I take another jeep and we start heading for the camp.

"So what's the deal with this place?"

"It used to be an old USAF base before the 2nd Civil War. During that, it became a CIA blacksite and was decommissioned after Russia bought Alaska back."

Wash nods as Alaska and Carolina get ahead of us.

"So then, why's everyone suddenly got a vested interest in this place?"

Alaska lets us catch up, then joins our talk.

"Russians sold this base to a PMC in the 2540's. They're suspected of having made a compound that the Insurrection was found with in Dublin."

We leave the forested area and start crossing onto a bridge to the complex.

"We're here to confirm that."

"We've got a roadblock up ahead."

"Gun it."

Alaska gets up on the .50 cal on his jeep and I lean out of the jeep with a M60E4, spraying the line to keep their heads down.

"Get through the roadblock."

The two aged jeeps weave and bob through several small encampments of PMC troops, who fire on us until we pass them.

"Right, something's up, they aren't following."

We get to the island, several burned out tanks littering the courtyard as we all get out of our jeeps.

"Focus on the mission lads, that's how we get this done."

I start moving over to Alaska before stepping in a puddle of sludge.

"The hell?"

Wash comes over to me and inspects it.

"Syrupy. Hey Alaska!"

Alaska moves over to us, Carolina following.

"Yeah, that's cryofluid. Why it's puddled everywhere is beyond me."

We start searching through the base, Wash and I heading to what looks to be the old prison camp as Alaska and Carolina move to the newer building complex.

"Got somebody over here."

I move over to Wash, who motions to a motionless PMC trooper with his armor off, two faintly luminescent sacs glowing an ominous blue where his lungs would be. I move to take a pulse before he spasms, causing me to fall back into Wash.

"Shit."

Wash gets out from under me, patting himself down for his equipment.

"Shit, where'd my Magnum go?"

I look over at the PMC trooper, trying to reach for the magnum. I get up and grab it, then flash a light at his face. The trooper covers his face, his skin blistering instantly.

Photosensitivity.

The trooper tries to grab the magnum from me but fails, falling on his chest. I get a good look at his back, where several rock-like formations have started to grow.

"kill… me…"

The trooper somehow manages to flip himself back onto his back, one of the blue sacs now bursted and covering the left side of his chest with a blue pus. Wash moves to wipe up some of the pus.

"d… don't... just kill…"

Wash steps back and draws his BR, putting a full burst into the trooper's head.

"What the hell is this?"

I pass Wash his magnum as Alaska contacts us.

"Get over to the admin buildings. Whatever you do, avoid any corpses."

"Right, we just ran into one that was alive."

Silence.

"Did it touch your bodysuit?"

Wash looks at me, puzzled.

"Did it touch your bodysuit? I need to know."

"Negative, it tried to swing at us but we put it down."

"Right, use one of your thermobarics to burn the body. Clean off any blood that got on you with something that can burn, then burn it."

Wash takes a thermobaric grenade, pulls the pin and drops it on the corpse. The heat evaporates the pus and blood, then starts getting to work on burning the body.

"Let's go."

We start moving over to the admin building, Alaska meets us with, now with a RPD.

"Come on, Carolina's been cauterizing the one we found."

We enter the admin building, several overrun defenses covered in more of the cryofluid.

"So, wanna run them through what we found?"

Carolina stops firing into what I assume was a former PMC, and looks at us.

"So that mess that used to be a PMC,"

Carolina motions to the half melted corpse.

"Was sitting in that chair, mumbling as we came in. He stood up, walked into the wall, and bursted open."

Alaska nods.

"Our shields caught this mess of blue gel, and the guy tried to get up. I put an entire mag into the fooker, he didn't go down until Carolina lit him up with her kit."

"The one we found had these plates on his back."

"That might do it."

Alaska moves over to a bookshelf and pulls it away from the wall. The floating boy from before appears once Alaska moves away to fetch another satchel charge from the jeeps. I look around, Wash and Carolina looking around the place for any intel, not minding the floating boy in the center of the room.

"What are you?"

I walk towards it, hearing a string of numbers go through my head.

 _"25-15-21 18-5-1-12-12-25 4-15-14 20 11-14-15-23 20-8-9-19 16-12-1-3-5 1-6-20-5-18 23-8-1-20 8-5 4-9-4 20-15 21-19"_

I almost trip over an AKM laying on the floor, catching myself on the wall. A green light outlines my right hand and the sound of vacuum locks unsealing behind the wall.

"I got something here."

The others get over to where I am, Alaska bringing a flamethrower.

"What's up lass?"

"She tripped over an AK and unlocked something on the other side of this wall."

I start tracing my hand across the wall. Reaching a large hollow, I press in and then step back as a opening opens up in the wall. I peer into the hole and look around a massive lab.

"Yeah, they've got something down here."

Alaska passes forward a rappel line and hooks it into the wall up top. I toss down my rifle and slide down into the lab, Wash following.

"What's the situation down there?"

I stumble forward, catching myself on a cryopod. Wash moves over to help me get straightened out, but I shrug off his help.

"I'm good. Something in the air just gave me deja vu."

Alaska and Carolina rappel down to the lab, getting up to Wash and I as we reach a terminal.

"Right. Cali, you're with me. Wash, Lina, move through and set up some thermal charges on the supports. We're gonna burn this place down as we leave."

The two move off to plant charges, I take a seat on the floor and lean against some crates as Alaska starts to crack the terminal, trying to get any info on the infection.

"You good lass?"

Alaska taps me on the shoulder, I shake myself out from my trance.

"Need more sleep."

Alaska chuckles, then looks back to the terminal.

"Get some shut eye, you've been going at it pretty hard in terms of training. I can watch myself."

I nod sluggishly, some reason my body and mind only preoccupied with sleep.

 **\-- ???, Unknown Location, Many years ago --**

My mind comes to during the middle of yet another surgery, several doctors and assistants all surrounding me, grafting new muscles, organs, and skin onto my patchwork of a body. As they finish up, one of the doctors waves to something out of my vision.

"I think she's ready."

A man in a black trench coat walks into view, a matching ten gallon hat blocking any sort of distinguishing features to show.

"Sir, we are ready for parasite therapy for test subject 24."

The man produces a steel capsule from his coat and pushes a button on top, three sides opening up and revealing a glass tube for each side. The doctor takes one and breaks it with a gloved hand, shoving the larger broken piece into the hole in my chest.

Not even a millisecond after the shattered tube entered, the doctor pulls it out and disposes of it. Two other doctors seal up the hole in my chest as the trench coated figure produces a photo. He clips it onto the back of a biomonitor.

"And the sun sets on her legacy."

The trench coated figure walks off as I go under again.

 **\-- Agent California, present day --**

"Cali?"

I get startled awake by Wash, now with his helmet off as Alaska and Carolina stand nearby, rifles drawn.

"We're moving on. You good?"

Wash reaches a hand down to help me up, which I take.

"They have a massive operating room up ahead, security systems say that's where this mess started from."

Alaska passes Wash a M16A4/Flamethrower combo and draws an Enfield No. 2 revolver, pushing forward. Wash and I take the middle as Carolina takes the rear. We stop at a door as Alaska fries the electronic locks on it with an EMP grenade.

"Clear through the operating rooms, record everything."

Alaska moves up through the hall and accesses a power box, putting some of the emergency through some basic lighting before turning on his shoulder camera. Wash looks into one of the operating rooms, then stumbles back, gagging.

"What's wrong?"

Wash leans against a pillar to catch himself before pointing into the room.

"The fuck is that?"

I look over and come face to face with another infected corpse, this one's chest surgically split open and a bluish fog coating the room. I spot particles floating in the room before it all catches fire. I step back as Alaska finishes torching the operating room.

"Whatever this is, it obviously broke quarantine. Torching this place is our new objective."

Alaska sets his flamethrower down and moves along, tossing incendiary grenades into a couple of the operating rooms before heading to the end of the hall. I join him as Carolina and Wash get to torching the operating rooms.

"Korean Army discovered something like this in Pyongyang years ago. Why is it here?"

Alaska takes out another EMP grenade and sets it off at the door we're next to, opening up an airlock leading to a bigger operating room. The two of us walk in and Alaska seals the door behind us.

"Get ready. The source of this is inside that room."

Alaska changes out the filters on his mask before motioning to the airlock bulkhead. I open it and step in, Alaska following behind and sealing it behind us. I spot a table with some notes on it and go to read them over as Alaska starts pacing the room.

"This room's been frozen for at least a decade, maybe more. Watch what you touch."

I shift through the notes as Alaska takes a sample of some of the frozen blood.

"Sending this to FILISS."

I stop sifting through the notes, taking a few of them and putting them into a pouch on my thigh. Alaska focuses on the lack of body on the operating table.

"Something broke out of here."

He starts looking around the room, noticing bullet holes and blood splatters across the operating room.

"Struggle, at least three or four other combatants. They were outmatched by whatever was on the table."

I spot a puddle of blood, and smear marks originating from it.

"There was a survivor, injured, but they got out."

I look up from the splatter and spot impact marks in the wall, along with a jut of rebar.

"Speared through the wall."

A rumble erupts overhead, Wash contacting us over comms.

"We finished up with the torching of this place. We'll head out and hold for extraction."

"Good."

Alaska takes out a target designator and sets it on the operating table.

"Funny, these restraints almost look like they could fit you lass."

He finishes setting up the designator and moves for the door.

"We should go lass. Rather not join this place in being flattened."

 **\-- ???, Russian Airbase located in the Bering Strait, Many years ago --**

I get wheeled out on a stretcher to a helicopter near the trench coated figure, who continues talking to one of the security guards of the base.

"Confirmed sir, subject 24 has escaped. The Russians will not be pleased."

The trench coated figure sighs, then moves to board the helicopter.

"Ditch this facility. Move all important assets to our locations in Korea, torch the rest."

"Yes sir, we'll-"

The soldier and trench coat man turn to face another soldier that stumbles out of the base, clutching their chest and throat.

"Sir… the subjects, they've…"

The second soldier falls to the ground, the trench coated figure drawing a Mare's Leg and shooting them in the head, he then boards the helicopter and assists getting me on board as well.

"Get us airborne pilot."

The pilot gets us in the air and away from the base, the trench coated man pulls a blanket over me.

"This will all be over soon, my child. All this is is just a setback."

 **\-- Agent California, present day --**

"479er to Command, team has been extracted. Heading back home."

Wash moves closer to me, noticing I've been peeing out of the back window for the past few minutes.

"So what was that place? You've been off ever since we got there."

Alaska comes over to the two of us.

"Russian Experiment gone wrong. URNA bombers are gonna be firebombing the place soon."

Wash takes a seat as we start heading back to the Mother of Invention. I pass out to try and cope with the horrific shit I saw down there.

 **\-- Agent California, MoI Bridge, three hours later --**

"Good work agents, the source of the biohazard compound has been destroyed and we've made off with some valuable intel. Councillor, update the board."

The councillor punches a few things into a datapad before an attack alarm goes off.

"What's the situation?"

"Inbound transport craft, three of them."

"Insurrectionists councillor?"

"Negative, but the craft have no marking on them to id them as UNSC."

"Get them on the line."

Alaska goes off with a team of security and the extracted data to get it secured, a very American voice coming over the radio.

"Greetings Director Church."

I look over to the director as a Prowler comes to bear with the bridge's viewscreen.

"Who is this? You are obstructing a UNSC ship and military personnel."

"Relax with the formalities Director, you and I both know you are not just an ordinary ship."

The director tenses up, then pushes up his glasses, the contact speaks again.

"Let me come aboard. We need to talk about business."

Alaska enters the room as the call ceases.

"Alaska, California, follow me. I want you two to help provide… security."

I look over to Alaska, clearly troubled.

"Fine then, let's go meet the bastard."

 **A/N: Right then, this had a bit of time to digest in my head but it should be one of the longer chapters of this. Expect an update soonish.**


End file.
